Arsenic and Old Cake Read Online Free PDF Page A

waved back and dragged a stool to Ox’s station so I could talk to him while he worked. ���Sorry I didn’t get back here earlier. I’ve been working on payroll.”
    Ox glanced up quickly. “Get it done?”
    I nodded. “Yeah. How did it go back here today?”
    He shrugged, made a note on his design, and tossed the pen onto the table. “The retirement party cake is finished and ready for delivery first thing tomorrow. Dwight finished the twin baby-shower cakes, so I put him to work sorting supplies and making sure everyone’s workstation is completely outfitted. I had to put Sparkle to work cleaning some of the equipment. With these two cakes finished, we’re running out of things to do. You know I hate assigning busywork. It’s a complete waste of time.”
    My stomach knotted as I listened to him talk. “Not a complete waste,” I said, channeling my inner Pollyanna. “Those are all things that need to be done.”
    Ox rolled his eyes at me. “In what universe?”
    His dour mood on top of Edie’s dire predictions and my own worry pushed a hot button for me. I couldn’t give in to fear or I’d never find a solution. “Oh please. This isn’t going to last forever. And it’s important that you and I don’t act like it’s the end of the world. If the two of us give off a doomsday vibe, it will undermine the whole staff.”
    Isabeau’s blue eyes clouded as she sorted a handful of decorating tips into piles. “But it’s bad, Rita. I spent the afternoon reorganizing the flavor extracts, and Estelle said she’s going to check the expiration dates on the food coloring tomorrow. This is stuff almost anyone could do. We need real work.”
    Ox frowned at her affectionately and then admitted, “Okay, so maybe it’s not that bad . . . yet. We still have that order for the EMS dinner on Tuesday and that will keep most of us busy for a few days. But I’m really starting to worry, and so is everyone else. People are speculating that you’ll have to start laying people off.”
    So much for keeping my financial concerns from the staff. I thought about glossing over things, but I knew that would be a mistake. Ox had expected to take over at Zydeco after Philippe died, and he’d been hurt by Miss Frankie’s decision to make me her partner. As a result, he and I had butted heads a few times over which direction to take the bakery. But he’s also an old friend, and I’m lucky he stayed on to work for me. He’s my right arm at Zydeco, and I wouldn’t feel good about lying to him. “I know business is really slow,” I said. “But I’m going to do everything I can to keep the staff working. I’ll take money out of my own pocket before I let them take a hit.”
    Isabeau flashed me a grateful smile.
    Ox frowned. “That’s no solution.”
    “It’ll buy some time until we get a few more contracts on the books.”
    “ If we get a few more contracts on the books.” He linked his hands behind his head and swayed gently on his swivel chair. “What we need is a new game plan.”
    Ox’s specialty is coming up with new game plans, but since they usually mean more work for me, I tend to be cautious when he starts thinking. “Such as?”
    “Nobody knows how long it’s going to take the economy to rebound, right?”
    I nodded slowly. “Right.”
    “So I think it’s a mistake to just sit here and wait for people to feel safe spending money. I think we need to diversify.”
    The last difference of opinion between Ox and me had been over the bakery’s King Cake recipe. Ox, the traditionalist, had insisted it was wrong to mess with our winning recipe. I’d argued for diversity, suggesting that adding filling to some of the cakes would appeal to a broader audience. Hearing him argue for diversity now surprised me.
    I squeaked out an uncertain laugh. “And do what?”
    “Exactly what we’ve been doing, only on a smaller scale. I think we should add a new line of moderately priced cakes so we can appeal to a